Raipur, June 7 (IANS) Five Maoists were killed in two encounters with security forces in an ongoing operation in the Indravati National Park area of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police officials said on Saturday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has hailed the success and expressed his wish to meet the brave soldiers who are engaged in anti-Maoist mission.

With the latest casualties, seven Maoists, including top leaders Sudhakar and Bhaskar, were neutralised in the operation in the last three days, they said.

“Security forces have recovered the bodies of seven Maoists during the ongoing anti-Naxal operations in the Indravati National Park area of the district,” a police officer said.

Security forces have intensified their anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, leading to the elimination of seven Maoist cadres over the past three days.

Among those killed are Central Committee Member Gautam, also known as Sudhakar, and Telangana State Committee Member Bhaskar.

The encounters, which unfolded between June 5 and June 7, resulted in multiple casualties among insurgents.

The first confrontation on June 5 led to the death of Sudhakar, a senior Maoist leader who had established Maoist education centres in the Dandakaranya region.

His body was recovered following an intense exchange of fire.

The following day, security forces neutralised Bhaskar, a commander associated with the Telangana State Committee.

His elimination marked another significant blow to the insurgent network.

As operations continued into the intervening night of June 6 and 7, three more Maoist’s bodies were found, including two women and one man.

Later, on June 7 (Saturday), two additional male Maoist cadres were killed in another encounter.

The identities of these five insurgents remain unknown, and efforts are underway to confirm their details.

Security personnel recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition from the encounter sites, including two AK-47 rifles and various Maoist documents.

The operation has been physically demanding, with several soldiers sustaining injuries due to snake bites, honeybee stings, dehydration, and other operational hazards.

Medical teams have ensured their treatment, and all injured personnel are reported to be in stable condition.

Search and area domination efforts continue in the dense forest terrain to track any remaining Maoist operatives and secure the region.

Officials have stated that a comprehensive report on the recovered weapons and materials will be released once all field inputs have been consolidated.

The ongoing crackdown against Maoist insurgents in Bijapur underscores the government’s commitment to dismantling their presence and restoring stability to the region.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma acknowledged the success of the operation, confirming that the bodies of seven insurgents, including top leaders Sudhakar and Bhaskar, have been recovered.

–IANS

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